Indian Monarchy?

Recognising that no empire lasts forever, I might not mind the decline of the British Empire so much (though it didn't need to collapse as quickly as it did) if it had been replaced by indigenous monarchies. Alas, republics are the norm throughout most of the former Empire, despite having no roots in the pre-colonial societies of Asia and Africa. Could India, which became independent in 1947 and a republic in 1950, have become a Monarchy instead?

Azeem-O-Shaan Shahenshah

As long as I'm crediting family members, I'd like to thank my brother William for recommending the lavish and thoroughly enjoyable Bollywood epic Jodhaa Akbar, about the legendary Mughal Emperor of India Akbar the Great (1542-1605) and his Hindu wife Jodhaa.  Below is one of my favorite scenes, in which loyal subjects from throughout India sing praises to their sovereign, who was a model of skill, vision, magnanimity, and tolerance, a Muslim ruler who respected all religions in a part of the world which has not always known such qualities since.  Full of exuberance, colour, and joy, this is what a magnificently monarchist song-and-dance spectacular looks like, even if towards the end there is an ominous sign of the truth that uneasy lies the head that wears a crown.  (I recommend watching this clip full screen, with the volume fairly high, for maximum impact.)

Prince Charles Was Right

...about genetically modified crops, admits the Daily Mail. For years the thoughtful heir to the British throne, whose book and companion film Harmony put forth a profoundly appealing and arguably vital vision for the world, has been mocked for his causes. But one need not agree with every opinion the Prince of Wales has ever articulated to see that GM crops have not exactly been the boon they were supposed to be, and there are real costs to ignoring the warnings of skeptics of "Progress" like him.

Meghrajji III of Dhrangadhra-Halvad (1923-2010)

The last Indian Maharaja to reign under the British Empire recently died at the age of 87. Judging from his Telegraph obituary and this tribute by Rafal Heydel-Mankoo, he seems to have been a delightful and fascinating gentleman. I particularly liked his comments about the Coronation:

In 1953 the Maharaja was invited to attend the Coronation of HM The Queen at Westminster Abbey, an occasion he found deeply moving. When I reported recent news stories of possible alterations to the Coronation service in order to better represent a multi-faith society, the Hindu scholar was unequivocal in his condemnation: “If the Coronation ceremony in its traditional form and all its glory is abandoned I shall mourn its loss as an exquisite part of our world heritage. It would be like the wanton destruction of a national, indeed a world monument, – say Stonehenge or the Taj Mahal.”

When will the West's politically correct killjoys learn that their alleged "multicultural sensitivity" is actually patronising and insulting to thoughtful non-Christians and non-Westerners?